The Wilmingtonian., 1887-10-15
Reasons for a Convention.

The following "Reasons for Convention"
were addressed by H. G. Collision, of Dover
on Thursday last to the Morning News
"We are on the eve of the election to de-
! stitutional convention. This is an import
| ant movement and one which took much
| time, thought, and trouble to get the Gener-
| al Assembly to a point where it passed the
| bill giving the people the right to vote on
| hisquestion. think 1t would be well to
place the matter plainly before the people,
as they must think and act for themselves
on this important point, which now, for the
first time in forty years, presents itself to
them in a manner whereby they have the
right to say whether or not we shall continue
in the old ruts, or have change. 1t is true
many things complained of can be regulated
under the present constitution by acts of
| egislaton, The main and leading trouble
and that which causes the most dissatisfac-
tion to our thinking people, and demands a
life tenure of our judges. Our courts are
long, tedious, and very expensive. They are
entirely out of the control of the pc ople
who are justly dissatisfied. Their should
be a change from a life tenure to term OF
years, when the power to elect will be in
the hands of the people.
The power conferred by the present con.
sttution on the governor to fill all the county
offices is another and very just cause for
trouble, complaint and dissatisfaction. 1t
ought to be left to the people, who are as
capable to say who shall serve them as the
governor. Especially is that true when the
governor, as has been the case in more than
one instance ignored the entire wish and
voice of the people and placed in Office one
who was his choice only, saying In effect;
81 know what you want better than you do
yourselves" or 'you are not capable of
knowing what you want or what is best for
you" This should not be suffered any
longer by an intelligent people. And the
unlimited and expensive power given the
General Assembly to sit as long as selfish
majority may please should be restricted.
Many of the acts and amendments passed
by the General Assembly are only work for
the printer and hobbies for the bar to i'm
pose on honest, true-meaning people.
There is now a chance for the people, by
their votes, to say what they want. Will
they think about this matter and act ao-
cordingly? If the opportunity be missed
now it may not come again. The power, or
usurped power, of the General Assembly to
appropriate the public money for internal
improvements, which is already implied in
the constitution, should be clearly inserted
so that the peoples money should only be
used for state and county purposes, and not
for the building of worthless railroads in
the State to encourage monopoly and for the
benefit of few. THIS is an important thing
and can only be checked by change in the
constitution. These are a few of the most
vital and important changes in which the
masses are directly interested, and which
they have a chance to change now if they
choose. There should he no politics in this
matter. All parties alike are interested
Should the people decide to call couveu-
tiou no one should be sent as delegate who
will not put all his political feelings aud ill.,
terest in the background and speak and act
for the perpetual good of future generations.
A delegate who would not do this would
would be unworthy the name of a
Delawarean and a man. The matter is in
the hands Of tie people. 1t has been long
time coming, VIII they act l will go
| for a convention. Let us turn out.
Il